EN

Synonyms for grapple

27 synonyms
4 meanings

verb
noun

Most common

struggle manage cope contend grip grasp

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Contend

contend, struggle, cope, deal, get by, make do informal, manage

2. Grasp

grasp, catch, grip, clinch, seize, fasten, close, clutch, gripe, clasp, cling, snatch

Noun

1. Grappling hook

grappling hook, grappling iron, grappler, grapnel

2. Wrestle

wrestle, wrestling

Other

make-out, clamshell

Definitions

v. 1
To seize something and hold it firmly.
v. 2
To wrestle or tussle.
n. 1
A close hand-to-hand struggle.
n. 2
The act of grappling. (uncountable)

Related words

Word family: grappler
Phrases: grapple with

Forms

Plural: grapples → grapplers, grapnels, wrestles, wrestlings…
Past participle: grappled
e.g. grappled → contended, struggled, coped, dealt…

Example sentences

struggle For Sami, not dwelling on the past was a struggle.
manage Tom took a class to learn how to manage his anger.
cope The police were unable to cope with such violence.
contend He had to contend against physical suffering.
grip The dictator rules the country with an iron grip.
grasp I was able to grasp the main points of the speech.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
grapple		rising
struggle		steady
manage		rising
cope		steady
contend		falling
grip		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: deal¹, grip¹, cope¹
5 letters: close¹, catch¹, grasp¹, seize¹, cling¹, clasp¹, gripe¹
6 letters: manage², clutch¹, snatch¹, clinch¹, fasten²
7 letters: contend², wrestle², grapnel
8 letters: struggle², grappler
9 letters: wrestling², clamshell²

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (manage² = 2 syllables).